WASHINGTON, DC — March 9, 2006 — Food retailers and wholesalers across the U.S. applaud the House for approving the National Uniformity for Food Act yesterday evening. “This legislation will deliver much-needed clarity and consistency for consumers in the standards safeguarding America’s food supply,” said Tim Hammonds, president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI).

The legislation establishes a system to harmonize myriad state and federal laws governing food safety and warnings to protect consumers. It seeks to eliminate conflicting and inconsistent regulations that subject identical food products to different standards among different states and the federal government.

States can petition the FDA to have their food safety regulations incorporated into the national standards or to have them exempted from the uniformity requirement. State laws would remain in effect during the review process.